WELSH Secretary Cheryl Gillan has agreed to change the wording of the question in the referendum on the Assembly’s powers after the Electoral Commission ruled it was “confusing”.

At a meeting with First Minister Carwyn Jones and deputy Ieuan Wyn Jones earlier this week, an agreement was reached to stick to the Commission’s preferred version.

The Commission’s wording clarifies the powers the Assembly has at the moment, and presents a simpler account of what would happen in the event of a “yes” or a “no” vote.

Ms Gillan told MPs yesterday: “I am very grateful to the Electoral Commission for its report and the 10 weeks of examination that it gave to the question that was designed by the project board.

“On Monday I worked with the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister, and I have considered its findings.

“We have all agreed that we should accept its findings and take forward the preamble and the question that has been put forward, on an objective and independent basis, by the Electoral Commission.”

Ministers want to hold the referendum – which would give the Assembly similar powers to the Scottish Parliament – in March. MPs and peers need to approve the poll first, a process that will begin next month.

In a separate development, Wales Office Minister David Jones met a cross- party group of MPs yesterday to discuss plans for reducing the number of Welsh constituencies.

The proposal to cut Wales’ representation from 40 to 30 or even 29 has given rise to unease amongst Conservative backbenchers.

Mr Jones said: “The people of Wales will have the same degree of representation at Westminster as anywhere else in the United Kingdom and will continue to have a strong voice.”

He rejected arguments the move would, in effect, strengthen the powers of the Assembly.